Trigger Warning: This article contains references to a person’s demise.
Hari Murali, the former child artist who co-starred with Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dileep and Mammootty, passed away on March 12, 2026. According to several reports, including Mathrubhumi, the actor was found dead at his home in Annur village in Payyanur, Kannur, Kerala.
After appearing in more than 50 films, Hari Murali had been working largely as a VFX artist. While further details surrounding his death have not yet been revealed, the actor was reportedly 27 years old.
For those unaware, Hari Murali was best known for his appearance in the Dileep-starrer comedy thriller Rasikan, released in 2004. Directed by Lal Jose and written by Lucifer writer Murali Gopy, the film made the actor a recognizable face in households at the age of six through a single humorous scene that later became a meme in contemporary Malayalam pop culture.
Apart from Rasikan, Hari appeared in key roles in several notable Malayalam films such as Mammootty-starrer Annan Thambi, Pattanathil Bhootham, Mohanlal’s Madampi, the Dileep-led Don, and Ulakam Chuttum Valiban starring Jayaram.
Apart from films, the actor initially appeared in television serials, making his debut in a show directed by AM Naseer with a script by Dinesh Pallath.
After his stint as a child artist, Hari Murali played a minor role in the Prithviraj Sukumaran, Indrajith Sukumaran, and Jayasurya-led comedy drama Amar Akbar Anthony (2015), where he portrayed the role of Prithviraj’s younger brother.
The actor was the son of theatre and film actor Payyannur Murali and Prasanna. He developed an interest in acting at a young age while accompanying his father to theatre camps.
Apart from acting, Hari held a degree in visual effects and animation and studied in Bengaluru. He had been working as a visual effects artist at a company in Kochi.
In a previous interview, the actor and VFX artist had revealed that he wished to write a screenplay and had expressed interest in directing it with Mammootty in the lead role.